The leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari shared a CCTV video alleging the footage was of Trinamool’s Debra MLA and former IPS officer Humayun Kabir assaulting an official inside the West Bengal University of Health Sciences.
“The video shows this individual brazenly kicking, punching and harassing a government official, forcing him to flee his workplace to escape the violence. This shameful episode is captured for all to see, yet the silence from the health department is deafening,” Suvendu wrote on X.
The video around 1.43 minutes, which does not carry a date, shows a man in Tees talking to another person, who is partially visible, and kicking him a number of times during the conversation.
“Does being a Trinamool MLA grant a free pass to unleash violence on public servants?” asked Suvendu. “From harassing common citizens to not targeting government officials, the Trinamool leaders seem to believe they are above accountability. This is the true face of Mamata Banerjee’s misrule, a state where power and privilege trample justice and decency.”
The Telegraph Online has not independently verified the video.
“What action has health minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee taken against this outrageous act in her own department?” asked Suvendu. “Or will this be swept under the rug, just like the shameful incident of Anubrata Mondal abusing a police officer was ignored?”
Mondal, the Trinamool’s Birbhum strongman, had abused the officer-in-charge of Bolpur police station during a phone call. The audio clip that was leaked went viral last month and an FIR was lodged against Mondal, though no action has been taken. The Trinamool had issued a statement distancing itself from the former Birbhum district president’s comments.
“The administration’s inaction against Humayun Kabir raises serious questions. Why has no step been taken to bring this perpetrator to justice? Is the state machinery complicit in shielding such hooliganism?” asked Suvendu.
Kabir could not be reached despite multiple attempts. The Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said he was not aware of any such incident.
While being the Commissioner of Chandernagore, in early 2021, Kabir had arrested BJP workers for allegedly raising provocative slogans. Soon after he resigned from service and joined the Trinamool in the presence of Mamata Banerjee at a public meeting in Burdwan’s Kalna.
Following his victory from Debra assembly constituency, Kabir was made a minister of state (with independent charge), but got dropped a year later.
The Trinamool had served a show-cause notice to Kabir last month for visiting the family of the girl killed in post-poll celebrations in Nadia’s Kaliganj and offering them money without the nod of the party.
Suvendu said the government officials should demand action against the MLA.
“Enough is enough. The time for excuses is over. Immediate and strict action must be taken against the culprit, regardless of his political connections,” Suvendu said. “The Trinamool’s reign of arrogance and violence will not go unchallenged. We will expose every such act and fight for a Bengal where justice prevails, not the whims of those in power.”